In 1969, a band called Country Joe and the Fish performed a song (written in 1967 by Country Joe McDonald) at the Woodstock Music Festival gathering at Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, NY. Included the lyrics, were the words “…and it’s one, two, three, what are we fighting for?” The song was a satirical protest of the Vietnam War, and was titled “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die.”

Five days from today we will be celebrating my favorite holiday, the one requiring nothing more than a hearty appetite, a pillow on which to lay our heads to nap after devouring the feast of the day, and our own personal answer key to the question of that day, “It’s one, two, three, what are we grateful for?”

Back when schools could have some kind of celebration of the First Thanksgiving, students ranging from Kindergarteners (some dressed in Construction Paper Pilgrim Hats and some in Indian feathers, also made out of Construction Paper), to Middle Schoolers sans the headwear. It was customary in those re-enactments of the celebrational dinner bringing the Indians and Pilgrims together, to go around the food table and have each participant state something they were thankful for in celebration of the day.

Many of us, when celebrating this “Feast Day,” (not like the Feast Days celebrated in my Catholic Faith) but the day of sitting down to literally a feast of food with family, and/or friends, give thanks for the food about to be eaten and the hands that prepared it, but the thanks often stop when the prayer is finished and the seemingly two top words of the day, “Let’s Eat,” resound from around the table of plenty.

There is a lot of excitement in waiting to hear those two words, as the anticipation, has been teased by the smells, and the sneaks of tasting something being checked to see if it is fully cooked or needs more time before we are able to plate it and put it on the table. Sometimes, as what takes hours to prepare, tantalizing our demanding hunger panged stomachs, and our excitingly eager taste buds, as well, challenges our patience by tempting us with aromas from the oven and stove, before being ready to be devoured in a matter of just minutes, with very little mention for what we are really, and truly, thankful. You might think that Thanksgiving Dinner is a form of Fast Food, as it is eaten so quickly, sometimes we miss some of the delicious tastes of it, due to our rush to get at that Pumpkin Pie.

So, what are we grateful for on Thanksgiving? I’m sure many of everyone’s lists will include a lot of the same, but that’s okay, because we all have a lot of things in common, but will also include differences in some ways, which is good, as our differences are what makes us unique.

I have said this before and I will continue to say it ad infinitum, until my time on earth here is done. Here’s my list for which I am thankful:

I am thankful for my parents, the life they gave me, the things they taught me by words and their example, the patience and unconditional love they showed me (and trust me, I didn’t make it easy for them), but they never turned their backs on anyone under our roof. I am thankful for my brothers, sisters, my aunt who lived us for a while, my grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, and all the greats of all those relatives.

I am thankful for those who taught me educationally and spiritually. I am thankful for those who taught and showed me how to be a teacher and a coach, (and motivated me to be the best that I could be in both of those positions), those co-coaches who shared the dugouts and sidelines with me, and all those who accepted me as those people. I am thankful for my partners in officiating, and the friendships and the brotherhood (and sisterhood too) we had together. I am thankful for all those who worried about my eyesight on the diamond, my decision-making skills in the dugouts, and those who questioned my sanity in many of the challenges I accepted and/or took on in my life. I am thankful for my colleagues in education, my supervisors and administrators, my critics of what I did and how I did it in my classrooms, and those who supported things I tried to accomplish in anything I undertook, be they something that turned out successful, or turned out to be a failure. Criticism, to me, was just as helpful (even though I didn’t like it) as was praise, because it made me want to be better in any situation I was in.

I am thankful for all those who gave me second chances (and third, and fourth, etc.), and for the patience and encouragement they showed by giving me those chances. I am thankful for all those who taught me how to write, and who gave me encouragement, and motivation to do it more, and those who have given me the opportunities to write and share my thoughts, words, and feelings with others through my keyboard.

I am thankful for old friends and new friends, long-term friends, and short-term friends, as I’m blessed with so many who I can call my friends. To me, the greatest compliment anyone can give me in this life, or I can give them in this life, is the title we can share together, “Friend.”

I am thankful for my great-grandchildren, my grandchildren, and my children, sons-in-law, and daughter-in-law, who have loved me, been patient with me, supported me, helped me physically, mentally, spiritually, and all these things unconditionally, despite my flaws as a dad, grandpa, nanu, and great-grandfather. You have all given meaning and purpose to my life, and I love you all so very much.

I am eternally thankful for my best friend, my confidante, the greatest love of my life, my support system, my lifeline, and my bride, Sally, who has made this more than half of my life so wonderful. I have loved every second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year, decade, and baseball season (from Jon at age 5 to The World Series and more), every concert, play, museum, dinner, laugh, tear of joy, touch, hug, and kiss, and I look forward to what the future still holds for us.

Lastly, I am thankful for, and to, my Maker, and all these amazing gifts He has bestowed upon me in my near 73 years on this planet. I could never have imagined, way back when, that my life could, and/or would, be this amazing and wonderful, and I am eternally grateful for every breath I have taken.

Here’s wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, next Thursday. May we all find as much as we can for which we can be thankful.